diff --git a/src/libcore/benches/iter.rs b/src/libcore/benches/iter.rs
index 93d38a5bc83..5b06229c21f 100644
--- a/src/libcore/benches/iter.rs
+++ b/src/libcore/benches/iter.rs
@@ -99,3 +99,50 @@ fn bench_zip_add(b: &mut Bencher) {
         add_zip(&source, &mut dst)
     });
 }
+
+/// `Iterator::for_each` implemented as a plain loop.
+fn for_each_loop<I, F>(iter: I, mut f: F) where
+    I: Iterator, F: FnMut(I::Item)
+{
+    for item in iter {
+        f(item);
+    }
+}
+
+/// `Iterator::for_each` implemented with `fold` for internal iteration.
+/// (except when `by_ref()` effectively disables that optimization.)
+fn for_each_fold<I, F>(iter: I, mut f: F) where
+    I: Iterator, F: FnMut(I::Item)
+{
+    iter.fold((), move |(), item| f(item));
+}
+
+#[bench]
+fn bench_for_each_chain_loop(b: &mut Bencher) {
+    b.iter(|| {
+        let mut acc = 0;
+        let iter = (0i64..1000000).chain(0..1000000).map(black_box);
+        for_each_loop(iter, |x| acc += x);
+        acc
+    });
+}
+
+#[bench]
+fn bench_for_each_chain_fold(b: &mut Bencher) {
+    b.iter(|| {
+        let mut acc = 0;
+        let iter = (0i64..1000000).chain(0..1000000).map(black_box);
+        for_each_fold(iter, |x| acc += x);
+        acc
+    });
+}
+
+#[bench]
+fn bench_for_each_chain_ref_fold(b: &mut Bencher) {
+    b.iter(|| {
+        let mut acc = 0;
+        let mut iter = (0i64..1000000).chain(0..1000000).map(black_box);
+        for_each_fold(iter.by_ref(), |x| acc += x);
+        acc
+    });
+}
diff --git a/src/libcore/iter/iterator.rs b/src/libcore/iter/iterator.rs
index 49c43d133e5..d38864f3edd 100644
--- a/src/libcore/iter/iterator.rs
+++ b/src/libcore/iter/iterator.rs
@@ -487,7 +487,9 @@ pub trait Iterator {
     /// This is equivalent to using a [`for`] loop on the iterator, although
     /// `break` and `continue` are not possible from a closure.  It's generally
     /// more idiomatic to use a `for` loop, but `for_each` may be more legible
-    /// when processing items at the end of longer iterator chains.
+    /// when processing items at the end of longer iterator chains.  In some
+    /// cases `for_each` may also be faster than a loop, because it will use
+    /// internal iteration on adaptors like `Chain`.
     ///
     /// [`for`]: ../../book/first-edition/loops.html#for
     ///
@@ -523,9 +525,7 @@ pub trait Iterator {
     fn for_each<F>(self, mut f: F) where
         Self: Sized, F: FnMut(Self::Item),
     {
-        for item in self {
-            f(item);
-        }
+        self.fold((), move |(), item| f(item));
     }
 
     /// Creates an iterator which uses a closure to determine if an element